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Post by Countess on Sept 19, 2024 22:25:43 GMT
"They say home is where the heart is... I think mine has already been buried beneath the floorboards of my new home," Theresa says, feeling the truth in her words. If she could she would melt into that building- but she can't. She has to do things like this, bear witness to the world. It is imperative.
"Be careful that you do not drown in the guilt," Theresa warns him. "A reminder is nice, but be sure that it is like a thread, not a whip," she tells him, knowing very well the difference. Too well.
As the world smiles, so too does Theresa. She cannot help it, and she doesn't mind it. For a moment, she allows herself to revel in the joy, knowing it isn't completely hers. It gives her a warmth, and she holds onto it like a drowning woman in a sea of guilt and grief. That isn't to say she is depressed- no, one side of the scales is simply tipped more often than the other. Moments like these are cherished. "To be the Fool is a gift- but it is not forever," she says.
Theresa flips the next to last card, and this one doesn't have any people on it. Instead, it is eight of Gambit's staffs. A flicker of recognition appears in her... this is not her fist time seeing those. "The Eight of Wands, Reversed. You are afraid of stagnation, that this is all you will ever be, that you will never progress in your ability, doomed to repeat the same actions and mistakes over and over again. You hope for that change, to be able to charge ahead without this weighing you down. It will come- you know it will come. Don't let failure prevent you from trying," she says, then moves her hand to the last card. With a breath, she flips it...
Niels, once more, this time older. He has a large gold coin in both of his hands, the symbol of infinity binding them together. He looks almost as if he is about to juggle the coins, a smile on his face. In the background is an ocean with ships, moving with the flow of the wind and ocean, with all its ups and downs. "The final outcome, The Two of Pentacles. You will be balancing your priorities, roles and responsibilities. There is so much for you to learn, so much for you to balance, so much for you to gain responsibility for. But... you shall. Well and truly.
"You are so much, Niels. You asked me who you are... I hope this answered your question. You are a Fool, like me, and there is so much more for us to see."
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Post by DornKoon on Sept 24, 2024 16:16:56 GMT
"Yeah, that is a nice way to put it," Niels said with a nod, " and to be honest, it's not guilt that keeps eating at me, but grief." He paused, looking at Theresa. "My mother was murdered, and it was made to look like an accident; I do not know why, nor who, but I know it was not a gas leak which exploded in our kitchen. I only know of something called Project Pathos; I could find that it is a quality that evokes pity or sadness." There was a moment when Niels frowned slightly before shaking his head. "Not sure why I'm telling you this; it just felt the right thing to do."
He once again nodded.
"Yeah, nothing lasts forever."
Niels continued to listen to her reading, reflecting on the words "stagnation." He intently looked at the staves of Gambit. Did he feel like he was doomed to repeat the same mistake? He said nothing and waited for her to turn over the final card, Two of Pentacles.
"That sounds nice," he said. "It makes me somewhat hopeful that I'm not on the wrong path; finding myself has ever been important for me, and to reflect upon who I am and want to be. I also like that there will be more to learn. Perhaps I should have asked about love, and it would have been nice to see if there is a boyfriend for me in the future." There was a smile, and the question was primarily said in jest, even if there was some slight longing behind it.
"I think it did," he replied, "and nice to meet another fool."
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Post by Countess on Sept 26, 2024 22:35:34 GMT
The pressure and heat on Theresa's scars settle, letting her breathe deeper. She has done her duty here, and it feels like a relief. Still, she stays, feeling comforted for the time being. Moments like these are to be cherished. Gently, she sips the last of her tea, unbothered that it is much cooler now.
Theresa's eyes shift away from Niels as his mother comes into her vision, her body falling to the ground between them. She can see the curve of her nose is the same as his. "She's beautiful," she murmurs. She is so used to these moments, she doesn't even flinch. "She loved you so much," Theresa continues, looking away from the body between them. It isn't real, after all. Not here and now, anyways. Time is so... strange to her sometimes.
"You will find those answers, Niels," Theresa says, already seeing it. The Three of Swords. The Tower. Betrayal and change. "Love, pain, hope, uncertainty, empathy, fear... All of these things, and more, wait for you. All you have to do is take steps."
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 4, 2024 15:37:14 GMT
Niels sat in silence, listening to nature and Theresa's words. "Yes, she was," he replied softly, with a hint of melancholy. He did not feel like he should not talk about his mother; if anything, talking about her helped. "She was kind, she loved art, and our home was full of everything she and Papa made. Sculptures, paintings, you name it. We never had much, but at least we had that." He stopped, looking from the forest to Theresa. She spoke as if she had seen her, and maybe she had. She was an unusual woman, not a mutant, but something else.
"It's--" He hesitated, "Good to know that she did; I was their miracle; they should not have been able to have me, and here I am." He shook his head with a sad smile. "My father is infertile, or that was what he had been told. Still, my mother got pregnant with me, and they even did a DNA test on me. Papa is my father. My grandmother told him I looked exactly like he did as a baby, apart from my nose. Papa even got himself tested again, and he was still infertile." It was a funny story but not something Niels reflected much on.
"I'll be sure to move forward then if that is what I need to find answers." He examined Theresa momentarily before smiling. "I'm glad you're not in pain anymore, Miss Theresa; I would hate to be the cause of someone else's suffering, even if not by my actions."
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Post by Countess on Oct 4, 2024 17:12:20 GMT
"You are not the cause," Theresa says, and she can feel herself on the precipice of something large and looming. She has been here before, this tangled knot of darkness that is at the core of herself. There is something just beyond it, but she will never be able to come back to this. Her curiosity is not so great as to force it, as she knows it will come in time. She has faith in herself, her abilities. "You are... a symptom, I think. This is... perhaps a punishment," Theresa says, and the words seem right. "I must have done something to deserve this," she adds, but those... don't. She almost frowns.
"May I have one last cup before I go? It is a long journey and..." she says, pulling a card. Seven of Pentacles. Theresa gives a sigh. "It simply isn't in the cards for me to leave quite yet," she says, giving a shrug. She shuffles the card back into the deck, thankful she isn't in a fight... That could have killed her.
"Tell me about your school. I believe I met a couple of your teachers, a Remy and a Scott," Theresa says, engaging in the most dreaded of activities... small talk. "I trust you are doing well in your studies," she says a touch severely, like a teacher might.
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 4, 2024 17:38:18 GMT
Niels said nothing at first, but it was there again, something many adults did without thinking about; they said things without meaning. Her words did not reflect her feelings, nor did she believe them. "Of course, I've got plenty of it," he said softly, pouring more hot tea into her cup. "Always nice to warm the cup, as my grandmother likes to say."
He hesitated before taking a deep breath.
"I can't imagine you could have done anything to deserve that kind of treatment. Just looking at stories and myths, true or not, shows many people cursed despite not deserving it. Did the children of Zeus deserve to be punished for their father's actions? Or did Medusa deserve to be turned into a monster because of Poseidon's actions?" He slowly poured himself some tea before closing the thermos again. There was that wisdom in his voice again, making him sound much older than he looked. "Don't paint yourself as a criminal, Miss Theresa. Chances are, you did nothing wrong. Remember, we are both fools, so chances are we both might tend to overthink."
Niels smiled a little more when she asked about school. It did not seem that small talk was her thing, but he appreciated the effort.
"Yes, I do know them." He replied with a nod. "As well as can be expected, I never had much of a head for science, but I like languages and have started studying Latin with Miss Rogue."
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Post by Countess on Oct 4, 2024 18:49:45 GMT
Theresa takes the time to digest what Niels says, trying to make sense of it, trying to apply it to herself... They ring so deep within her, beyond that darkness she dare not crack, not yet. "I do not disagree with you, as soon as I said the words, I knew them to be untrue," she murmurs. It begs the question... why? There is a reason for everything. What is hers?
Theresa finds herself longing for her home, the Sanctum. She sips her tea, perhaps impatiently. Her thoughts stray to him- to Stephen. Would he know what to make of this? Can she ask him for help? He is a man with the weight of the multiverse on his shoulders, what makes her think she is important enough to ask? No... She couldn't impose, not after already offering to help him with that weight.
The truth will come in time.
Theresa draws another card. The Six of Wands. Yes- now she can go. She starts to fold the little thing carefully.
"Be gentle with Rogue- she has carved out her heart, thinking it will be less painful than having it ache," Theresa says, finishing her last cup. "It is time for me to go. Should you need anything, or any of your friends, I live in New York City, work in the History Department of Columbia. Dr. Theresa Brooks," she tells him, making sure he is aware of how to find her. Her number, her email, it is all something he can find on the internet.
Theresa finishes folding, peering down at her work. The card is now a butterfly, and it twitches slightly before taking flight. "Goodbye, Niels. Good luck," she murmurs, following the little creature of her own making, her form fading right before his eyes.
END THREAD
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